Region championship to be decided in regular season finale

Norcross, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, made their way down to Norcross on Thursday, April 16th to take on the Greater Atlanta Christian School Spartans in game two of a three game series. The Dragons, ame in looking for a series win and to move one step closer to a region title. The Spartans, came in looking to even up the series, and to help out North Hall in the process. A four run bottom of the fifth, helped the Spartans pull away and pick up an 8-4 victory.

 

The Dragons, would look to get going early as Robert Turner, would reach on a lead off double on the first pitch of the game. Jennings Allen, would then reach on an error as Turner would move up to 3rd on the play. Kam Jenkins, would bring in Turner with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 1-0 Dragons. Dawson Lowit, would reach with a 1-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd.

Allen and Lowit, would move up a base after a ground out. The Spartans, would get out of the first with a strikeout. Christian Starks, would get the ball to start for the Dragons in game two. After picking up a line out and a ground out, I. Cobbs, would keep the bottom of the first going for the Spartans with a single. Starks, would get out of the first with a strikeout. Heading to the second, the Dragons led it, 1-0.

 

Everett Grubbs, would lead off the top of the second with a double. E. Grubbs, would advance to 3rd after a ground out. Matthew Davis, would drive in E. Grubbs with an RBI single to make it 2-0. After a line out, Davis, would steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. The Spartans, would get out of the second with a ground out. E. Hill, would lead off the bottom of the second with a single.

After a strikeout, D. Fernandez, would reach with a 1-out single. Starks, would come back with his second strikeout of the inning. P. Wilson, would drive in both Hill and Fernandez with a 2-RBI double to tie the game. Starks, would get out of the second with a pop out. Heading to the third, the game was tied at 2.

 

Lowit, would look to start something for the Dragons in the top of the third as he would be hit by a pitch. He would be left stranded at 1st however as the Spartans would pick up a fly out and a ground out. After a strikeout to start the bottom of the third, Cobbs and J. Givens, would reach with back to back 1-out singles. Starks, would get out of the third after an infield fly and a strikeout to keep the game tied at 2 going to the fourth.

 

After two quick outs to start the top of the fourth, Davis, would reach with his second hit of the day with a double. Turner, would follow that up by drawing a walk. The Spartans, would get out of the fourth with a pop out. Truitt Grubbs, would come in to pitch for the Dragons in the bottom of the fourth. After a ground out, R. Williams, would give the Spartans the lead with a solo home run.

P. Wilson, would then be hit by a pitch. T. Grubbs, would force a pair of pop outs to get out of the fourth with just the one run given up. Heading to the fifth, the Spartans led the Dragons, 3-2.

 

In the top of the fifth, Lowit, would reach base for a third time as he would reach on an error. After a strikeout for the second out, Truitt and Everett Grubbs, would reach with back to back singles to load the bases. The Spartans, would get out of the fifth with a line out. Cobbs, would lead off the bottom of the fifth with his second infield single of the game. Givens, would follow that with his second hit to put runners at 1st and 2nd.

After a pop out, M. Trojanowski, would drive in Cobbs with an RBI double to make it 4-2. Fernandez, would then draw a walk to load the bases. After a pop out for the second out, P. Wilson, would clear the bases with a 3-RBI double to make it 7-2 Spartans heading to the sixth.

 

Davis, would lead off the top of the sixth by drawing a walk. Turner, would follow that by drawing a four pitch walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Allen, would reach with a single to load the bases. Jenkins, would bring in Davis after drawing the third walk of the inning to make it 7-3. The Spartans, would then trade the run for the outs as Turner would come in to score as GAC would turn a double play. The Spartans, would get out of the sixth with a pop out.

In the bottom of the sixth, T. Stopher, would hit a lead off home run to make it 8-4 Spartans. Cobbs, would follow that up with a single. After a fly out, Cobbs, would advance to 2nd on a ground out. Jackson Nunn, who came on to pitch for the Dragons in the bottom of the sixth, would pick up a strikeout to send it to the seventh with the Spartans leading, 8-4.

 

Truitt Grubbs, would lead off the top of the seventh by drawing a full count walk. Everett Grubbs, would follow that up by getting hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. The would be left stranded as the Spartans would pick up a fly out, a pop out, and a force out as GAC would take game two, 8-4.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Robert Turner: 1-3 with 1 double, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored

Jennings Allen: 1-4 with 1 single

Kam Jenkins: 1 walk and 2 RBI

Dawson Lowit: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 hit by pitch, and 1 RBI

Truitt Grubbs: 1-3 with 1 single, and 1 walk

Everett Grubbs: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 1 hit by pitch, and 1 run scored

Christian Starks: 3 IP, 6 H, 2 R/ER, 5 K on 60 pitches

Matthew Davis: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

 

It all comes down to Friday, April 17th. The final day of the regular season. The Pickens Dragons and the North Hall Trojans both enter the day tied at the top of the 6-AAA standings. The Trojans, will be at home taking on the Chestatee War Eagles, while the Dragons, will be at home to finish out the series against the GAC Spartans. Should both teams win, the Dragons, hold the tiebreaker by winning the series against the Trojans earlier in the season.

Same scenario if both teams should lose. If the Dragons win and the Trojans lose, the Dragons are the region champions and vice versa. Both games are scheduled to start at 6 pm. There will be plenty of eyes on both games.